State GOP knocked over fundraising speaker

State Democrats and GOP Rep. Pete King are criticizing the state Republican Committee for having Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as the headliner for its May 29 dinner after Cruz opposed federal funding for Superstorm Sandy victims.

“Ted Cruz is the most anti-New York Senator in the United States Senate and yet the New York Republicans welcome him with open arms,” state Democrats said in a statement today.

“By embracing Cruz as their standard bearer, let’s look at the platform the New York State GOP is backing. In addition to Senator Skelos’ anti-choice pronouncements, they are now squarely anti-women’s rights, anti-marriage equality, anti-background checks on gun purchases, anti-immigration and anti-public campaign finance reform.”

King knocked his own party for the invite, telling the Daily News: “It’s life and death. There were really false and phony charges made against the Sandy aid, and if Ted Cruz had prevailed, my constituents would be homeless.”

GOP spokesman David Laska told the Daily News: “We invited Sen. Cruz because he’s a bright young leader and he’s a member of the Hispanic community.”